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Molekule, the World’s First Molecular Air Purifier that Destroys Harmful Pollutants, Announces $10.1M Series A Round

After successfully shipping four rounds of pre-orders, Molekule is now available to the public, offering relief to scores of asthma and allergy sufferers


SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. – WEBWIRE

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. July 19, 2017 Today Molekule, the company behind the only molecular air purifier proven to destroy indoor pollutants, announces $10.1 million in Series A funding. Led by Crosslink Capital with participation from SoftTech VC, Translink Capital, and Foxconn, the round will be used to scale production, expand its team, and build out the product pipeline. Molekule is also announcing the device’s availability to the general public.
 
Our air quality is rapidly declining due to increasing industrialization and other environmental factors. While unhealthy for everyone, for the one in four allergy and asthma sufferers in the U.S., poor air quality can be debilitating -- particularly since climate change and rising levels of pollution are shown to worsen such symptoms.
 
Developed by Dr. Yogi Goswami over the past 20 years, Molekule uses Photo Electrochemical Oxidation (PECO) nanotechnology to combat allergens, mold, bacteria, and airborne chemicals on a molecular level. Most notably, PECO is not just capturing, but actually destroying these pollutants, including those up to 1000x smaller than particulates trapped by traditional HEPA filters. The most microscopic of pollutants are volatile organic compounds (VOCs)--many of which are known carcinogens that concentrate in indoor air and negatively affect our health.
 
Molekule is the first PECO air purifier confirmed to eradicate microorganisms like mold, viruses, bacteria and harmful pathogens such as E.Coli. These claims have been tested and verified by third party laboratories like the University of Minnesota Particle Calibration Laboratory and University of South Florida Center for Biological Defense.  
 
Unlike any other device on the market, Molekule:

  • Has the ability to completely purify--and replace--the air in a 600 square foot room without the use of a high-powered fan, making it energy efficient and ultra quiet.
  • Connects to Wi-Fi and uses machine learning to respond to the individual needs of each household, and can be controlled through an accompanying iPhone app.
  • Has a clean and modern design, made from machined aluminum to fit seamlessly into any home, standing at 23 inches tall.


 
Dr. Goswami, a distinguished professor and the Director of the Clean Energy Research Center at the University of South Florida, has over 40 years of experience in education and research in the clean energy space and is passionate about using Molekule as a tool to alleviate the suffering associated with many respiratory illnesses.
 
“Having watched my son Dilip suffer from asthma as a child, I know firsthand the devastating effect these conditions can have for parents and sufferers,” said Dr. Goswami. “Existing solutions were not working to alleviate his symptoms, yet no one was trying to create something better. I developed PECO technology with Dilip and others like him in mind. After seeing how dramatically Molekule improved his quality of life, I’m excited to share this breakthrough with everyone in need of relief from chronic allergies and asthma.”
 
Just 10 days after launching in May 2016, the company sold out of all pre-order devices. After successfully shipping those pre-order units, the company has now opened sales to the public.
 
In an era of ‘smart devices’ of debatable value, Molekule stands apart, having undergone rigorous beta-testing while proven to provide relief for those affected by allergies and asthma. Prior to this shipment, Molekule completed a review of its 49 person beta study program, including people with severe nasal and ocular allergy symptoms and those with asthma. The findings have shown that allergy sufferers experience dramatic, statistically significant, sustained symptom reduction within a week of use.
 
Katrina Klauer, a lifelong asthma sufferer, turned to Molekule in a desperate attempt to alleviate her son’s debilitating respiratory issues and save him from a lifetime of medications. Today, her son is able to run, play, and sleep through the night without the help of medication or treatments. Other group members like Ross Newman, who suffered from allergies and adult onset asthma for 8 years, lauded the device for its ability to alleviate his symptoms:  
 
“From the second you plug Molekule in, you can tell there’s a difference,” said Ross Newman. “On the first day, I could really feel the air quality changing and by week two, it completely changed the environment in my house. Since we’ve been using Molekule, symptoms are gone. The red eyes don’t exist. Having to use a rescue inhaler? It just doesn’t happen anymore.”
 
Eric Chin at Crosslink led Molekule’s $10.1 million Series A Chin, who previously seeded companies such as Dropcam and Casper, said the following about his investment:
 
“Molekule’s technology is game-changing. The technology behind the HEPA filters we use today was originally created for The Manhattan Project in the 1940s!  Molekule’s ability to purify the air we breathe by destroying pollutants, mold, mildew, airborne viruses and more can change the quality of life for people all across the spectrum. The market opportunity is outsized, and we’re thrilled to lead the Series A to help scale and bring the product to more people across the world"
 
SoftTech VC’s Jeff Clavier, one of the first investors in Fitbit, led the company’s Seed round. Now, he is doubling down because, after using a very early version of Molekule in his home, he’s seen firsthand the impact of this technology on his family members (his son has asthma, wife has dust allergies).
 
“After releasing just a few thousand units, Molekule is already changing lives,” said Clavier. “Allergy and asthma sufferers have seen little to no relief — especially in the form of advanced technology. When I chose to invest in Fitbit, I saw the potential to help people improve their health by getting a lot of actionable data. Now with Molekule, I see a real impactful, unique technology that could improve the quality of life of hundreds of millions of people who suffer from respiratory issues or pollution.”
 
Dr. Goswami, along with his son, CEO Dilip Goswami, and daughter, COO Jaya Rao, co-founded Molekule to bring their groundbreaking PECO technology to the masses and obliterate indoor air pollution. Dilip earned his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and served as VP of Technology at Advanced Technologies & Testing Laboratories where he led research and development. Jaya holds an M.S. from Stanford in both Mechanical Engineering and Public Policy and worked as the public sector innovation lead for Stanford Changelabs.
 
Integrating foundational science, software, and hardware, Molekule now retails at $799.00, with filters automatically mailed to consumers on an annual subscription basis for $99.00.
 
To learn more about Molekule and order yours today, visit Molekule.com.
 
About Molekule
Molekule is a science and clean technology company that eliminates indoor air pollution for everyone, everywhere. Molekule designed the world’s first molecular air purifier, capable of destroying all indoor air pollutants, giving you the air you were meant to breathe. Founded in 2014, Molekule is headquartered in San Francisco. For more information, visit: www.molekule.com.  
 



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 Air Purifier
 Allergies
 Asthma
 Funding
 Venture Capital


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